The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-06-17
miscellaneous.
LOGGING IN THE FAR NORTHWEST

|
A Rugged COuntry-ChRngoable Climate
"A yarieGated Population.
| Correspondence Of Tile 1fgiS.
will try to give your readers n brief de-
scription of the country now live in, hoping
| 1t may interest some. 1t is situated upon the
base of keweenaw point small peninsula tx-
| tending into Lake Superior from the north
| eastern shore of the northern peninsula of
Michigan. The country is wild and rugged,
and except in the immediate vicinity of the
mines, sparsely settled. Copper and iron are
found in large quantities. Many narrow
gauge railroads traverse the country in all
| directions running from the mines to the
stamp and rolling mills and connecting var-
Gus little towns. AS one travels along in the
parlor car of these delightful modern convey.
anccs they remind me very much of the
| Maryland G. Il. II. rs it was two years ago
| The scenes which meet the eye are very
! picturesque and continually changing. Noun
tains and valleys, dense forests and desert
plains, rivers, lakes and swamps, now and
then an attempt at farming or perhaps q
well-Cullivated farm with substantial and
ornamental dwellings and outhouscs, greet
the eye. Sometimes many miles of burned
stumps and other remnants of great forests,
destroyed by raging forest-fires, stretch along
u
feeling of desolation. Countless deep ravines
seem to tell that in olicn times the land was
subject to terrible floods.
Near the mines many ilourshing little
towns have sprung up in few years. Some
persisted as soon as the mines CEASED to Weld
fair prOtit others flourish still.
The climate is anything but mild, agreeable
or steady. The winters are severe and long
Casting from October almost 10 May and
Jnne0 accompanied by lightning, bitter cold
wind and snow storms. The snow last winter
was about Al feet deep on an average after
it had settled, and | saw drifts Is to 90 feet
deep.
The weather in summer is very uncertain,
no two days alike, either hot days aud cold
nights or cold days and not nights, or both
nightly frosts pretty nearly every month
Either oppressive dead Gains or furious gales;
either long spells of rain or a season of
drought either seas of mud and sush or
clouds of dust.
Ia the spring of every year miles of forest
are destroyed by ungovernable fires, (mostly
caused by farmers burning brush) often en-
dangering towns and farmstcads and sending
dense volumes of smoke up to the skies so as
to hide the sun for weeks at time. A man
may go forth in the morning bareiooted,
in shirt-sleeves, with q straw hat on, and re-
pairs socks, six pairs mttens and sealskin
cap, shivering with cold-or the reverse
One fact will prove this July II, 1885, the
mercury showed % degrees in the shade and
the night after the frost killed beans and DO
tato vines. One of my friends here is SO dis
gusted with the variety Of weather that he
declares he will not winter another summer
here.
The population resembles the weather. 1t
is composed chiefly of French, Scotch and
Swedes, also few Germans and Canadians
and good many Captains. Amy man that
ever saw q Wash-tub assumes that title.
They are all engaged in mining and lum.
bering or enterprises necessary to the carry
ing on of said industries. Drinking, gamb-
ling and betting seem to be an important part
of the business. Farming seems as yet in its
infancy, not many feeling sufficiently inter-
estcd to cultivate the soil, perhaps on at
count of the short summers, though the soil
(mostly sandy loam,) is good, and in favor.
able seasons will produce good hay, oats and
potatoes. A few apples plenty of raspber-
ries, strawberries and huckleberres are found,
and | saw one little cherry tree with five ripe
cherries. Pine, maple and cedar supply us
with wood. Most of the horses, cattle and
hogs are imported from Canada or Chicago.
Turkeys, geese and chickens are raised here,
but the demand exceeds the supply.
. There isn't flouring-mill within many
miles of this place,
The woods are filled with game, the rivers
and lakes with fish, and the sporlsmen with
i stories. Bear, deer, squirrel, rabbits and
porcupine often fall victims to the sportsmans
trusty rifle. Now and then a wolf is seen or
heard. Rabbits and minks are said to be
whittier than snow in winter. Specked trout,
lake trout, lake herring, white fish, pike,
sturgeon and many other inhabitants of the
deep blue waves reward the anglers skill and
patience. Birds are not plentiful. / saw
few cartridges, woodpeckers, crows and Eng
lish sparrows, and also few gulls and ducks
and one loon. Snakes are scarce. Millions
of flies and mosquitoes fill the air with har-
monious melody in field house and forest.
Undoubtedly you have often felt the thrill
ing sensation when lovely good old Hartford
May-fy in his travels alighted upon your
lofty brow and set to work diligently invesli
eating your reasoning powers and testing
your power of Christian fortitudc and for
bearance. Well, a Michigan fly will go to
work about the same way, only more SO.
The pain which lie inf1cs will drive one
crazy. Why would rather have pretty
girl throw her arms around my neck in the
dark behind the kitchen door and kiss me
than to have one of those bloodthirsty vii
lains assail me in broad daylight
The people seem to be light-hearted, socia-
BILE and hospitable Most all are great sports
and all are interested in prize-fighls and races
Every town supports two or three livery
stables, three or four clnbs or lodges and four
or five base ball mines. They are fond of
high living and want the best the market
affords.
Common laborers receive from $3.50 to
$500 per day or $40 to $35 por month clear
The necessaries of life are sold at about twice
their value in the east.
About September LIST of every year the
lumber contractors collect small force of
men and adjourn 10 the woods to erect the
various buildings, which are needed for the
winter, and to cut the timber roads, before
the snow falls. All the buildings are con-
structed of logs covered with two layers of
boards, tarred paper and shingles. They are
built as low as possible. The average camp
consists of an Office and store under one roof;
cook-room, diniDg-room and store-room I'M
der one roof; mems quarters, teamsters sleep
ing room, stables for horses, stables for oxen,
granary, hay shed, blacksmith shop, harness
shop and two or three log cabins for married